Reflection for Monday, December 16, 2013

Monday of the Third Week of Advent

The readings for the day can be found here.

I agreed to do an Advent reflection at the request of Patrick Cousins. I felt honored to be asked; yet, as the deadline to submit my reflection approached, I found myself so tempted to reach out and say I couldn't accomplish my reflection for a few reasons:

1. Final projects and final exams are stressing me out.

2. I didn't manage my time well.

3. I was struggling with interpreting my readings because it has been a while since I’ve done something like this. 

But I made a commitment to Patrick and to the SLU community and I wanted to honor that. And I knew it would be good for me to slow down especially at a time when I was finding it the most challenging and reflect. So here it is… 

As a child, I remember each week anticipating the next candle being lite on the advent wreath. I remember pink as the special candle, after the pink was lite we were over halfway, just one more candle and then it would be Christmas. The countdown to the coming of Christ was like no other time of the year, and I was always fully engaged in preparing for His coming. My family would light our wreath at home each night and pray special advent prayers before dinner.

The same excitement and anticipation remains within me as an adult, but at times, I find it more challenging to stay focused on preparing myself amongst the reasons listed above: final exams, final projects, holiday shopping and parties, poor time management and the like. Even as I sat to write my reflection, the thought of what other tasks I needed to complete crept into my mind.

It is easy to be distracted but today’s Reading 1 and Responsorial Psalm remind me that all I need to do is ask for guidance and God will answer. God gave voice to Balaam in the Reading 1 and in the Responsorial Psalm we see:

Good and upright is the Lord;

Thus he shows sinners the way.

He guides the humble to justice,

He teaches the humble his way.

Teach me your ways, O Lord.

During Advent, I aim to be more like my child self, rather than my adult self that is trying to accomplish it all and getting so easily distracted. God is available for me and willing to guide me. Advent is a time to prepare for the coming of Christ. I challenge myself and others to slow down amongst the challenges of life and engage in the preparations this Advent season.

Katie Wang is a Development Assistant in the John Cook School of Business.

Reflection for Sunday, December 15, 2013

Third Sunday of Advent

The readings for the day can be found here.

Over Thanksgiving Break, I found myself sitting with today’s readings for quite some time as I contemplated writing this reflection.  Today’s Gospel stuck with me as I spent some (long overdue) time with my nieces, Verity (age 5) and Pascha (age 2).  Verity and Pascha are quick to remind me that we can always find God in all things.  For these little ladies, everything they know in life is “beeeeeautiful” and I envy that ability to see beauty so easily.

Verity is a teacher; she will take you through her favorite book, page by page and show you everything that is beautiful about it.  Pascha is a quiet observer; I watched her get lost in wonder at my sister’s fish tank, as she would constantly pull anyone over to watch the beautiful fish with her.  For me, the older I get, the more I am challenged to seek out God’s beauty all around us.  In today’s Gospel, Jesus asked the crowd gathered around him what they expected to see when they went out to witness a prophet, “A reed swayed by the wind?...Someone dressed in fine clothing?”.  This stuck with me as a reminder that we all have preconceived ideas about who God is and how He shows himself to us (or sometimes doesn’t) in our lives.  I am grateful that I have Verity and Pascha to remind me that you can find God’s beauty in everything and more importantly, you can share that beauty with everyone around you.

Throughout today’s readings, the greater themes of strength, patience and love prevail.   In the first reading, we are reminded of the splendor that the Lord will bring to earth, “The desert and the parched land will exult; the steppe will rejoice and bloom.  They will bloom with abundant flowers, and rejoice with joyful song.”  And, in the same reading, we are challenged to be supporters for weak and fearful, “Say to those whose hearts are frightened: Be strong, fear not!  Here is your God, he comes with vindication; with divine recompense he comes to save you.”

In short?  There will be undeniable beauty and we should share that with everyone around us.  Equally important to me, in the second reading, we are reminded that supporting others in their journey to seek out God’s beauty should never be done with judgment, “Do not complain, brothers and sisters, about one another, that you may not be judged.”  Sharing God’s beauty with others isn’t meant to be a point of contention; it should be a dialogue of celebration.  Whether it is a favorite book or a tropical fish tank, our short time on this earth is a gift from God to gaze in awe at all of His beauty.   

Andrea Gruger is a Residence Hall Coordinator for Marchetti Towers and Grand Forest and proud Aunt to Verity and Pascale.

Reflection for Saturday, December 14, 2013

Memorial of Saint John of the Cross, Priest and Doctor of the Church

The readings for the day can be found here.

“Lord, make us turn to you; let us see your face and we shall be saved.”

The Responsorial Psalm for today reminds me of what the Advent season is really about. It is about preparation for the birth of Jesus and sharing special moments with your family.  By keeping God as our main focus, we are saved from falling into weakness. The weakness is only focusing on the commercialized aspect of Christmas. Often people focus on what they should buy their family members, rather than why their family is so meaningful to them. Sure, it is wonderful to share your appreciation to someone; however, you should not turn away from God and forget the reason you are blessed with such wonderful people in your life.

This Advent season, I hope to not only show my love through gift giving, but also appreciation. I, too, have fallen into the trap of only worrying about gift giving. Working in retail has made it a challenge to steer my thoughts onto the true reasons of Christmas. I hope that people appreciate those who have done so much for them in a similar way that Joseph and Mary did so much for the preparation of the birth of Jesus. They sacrificed for the one that they love unconditionally. The size of the sacrifice is not as important as why you are willing to make the sacrifice. Is it because you feel like you have to or because you genuinely want to?  Do not fall for those things that bring you temporary happiness - a new jacket, an iPad, or concert tickets; instead, cherish the things that bring you eternal happiness.  As a result, turn to the Lord this Advent season and rejoice in his blessings. I hope you enjoy this season and that you make many memories with those who are special to you.

My name is Abbey McErlean and I am a sophomore Physical Therapy major/Psychology minor. I am a member of Kappa Delta sorority. I am the fundraising chair for Students For Life which is SLU’s pro-life club here on campus. I enjoy being a part of the recruitment team for Relay For Life, as well as serving as an RA in Walsh. I enjoy working with such a vast group of people. The advantage to spending time with a wide variety of students and faculty is that I get to listen to different views on things. It has not only made me value my beliefs so much more, but also, appreciate the visions that others bring to this campus. SLU has helped shape me into the person that I am today and I hope it can do the same for you.

Reflection for Friday, December 13, 2013

Memorial of Saint Lucy, Virgin and Martyr

The readings for the day can be found here.

The Christmas season is one of my favorite times of the year. The immediate transformation of our communities and world around us into this festival of lights, cheer, and upbeat spirit can make any cold and frigid day seem a little bit warmer. This time of year is also very busy and filled with endless to do lists of tasks to accomplish or people to see. With this constant overflow of things to do, sometimes our attention gets too raveled up in the intricate commercial aspects of the holiday season. It is a common trend seen, and I am definitely guilty of falling into it.

All of these distractions can remove us from the true meaning of the Christmas season, which is the preparation of the birth of our savior, Jesus Christ. While reflecting on the passages for today, Jesus commented on comparing this “generation” to children or those blinded by the various sights of God working around them. Both John the Baptist and Jesus preached the same beliefs but relayed God’s wisdom in different ways. We need to be able to take a step back from the distractions around us and notice God working intimately throughout our daily lives.

The beauty of having the opportunity of continuing my graduate education at SLU, is being able to see the light and spirit of the Jesuit mission all around us, literally. As the days get darker and temperatures get colder, I have noticed that the light of Jesus is still all around. One of my favorite spots on SLU’s campus is the intersection at Grand and Lindell, overlooking College Church. There is a giant nativity scene that illuminates the corner and with each evening passing I am always enamored by its tranquility and consistent reminder of God working within our lives this holiday season.

When we take a moment to set aside time for God and realize how He is personally working in our lives, we will be able to carry out our everyday actions in a more fulfilling way. God speaks to all of us differently. All we have to do is open our eyes and know that by following His will, will motivate us to spread his love to those around us and make our Christmas season even brighter.

Victoria Glatz recently graduated from SLU with a B.S. Nutrition and Dietetics in May 2013. She is currently completing her Dietetic Internship and earning her Master’s degree in Medical Dietetics at SLU. 

Reflection for Thursday, December 12, 2013

Feast of Our Lady of Guadalupe

The readings for the day can be found here.

Fr. Chris Collins, S.J. gave a reflection on the Advent season last week, and as circumstances would have it, his remarks focused on today’s gospel - the Annunciation - particularly on what it means for God to have called someone like Mary of Nazareth to the mission of bringing Jesus into the world: not only going to Judea, a minor province on the far edge of the Roman Empire; not only going to Galilee, seen even by Judeans as a backwater; not only going to Nazareth, a scrabbly little corner of Galilee; but going to an adolescent female at a time in which that demographic had no real influence or voice to speak of. Such an image suggests something about God’s way of being in the world: if God’s power were simply a muscular power-over-others, then certainly there would be more effective ways of enacting God’s will than through such underwhelming actors. But that’s exactly where the Biblical texts of the day take us: in the first reading, the nations of the world turn their eyes to a tiny and occupied people among whom God has chosen to dwell, and in the gospel, as Fr. Collins noted, an insignificant member of that tiny and occupied people takes up the mission to enact the dwelling of the word of God in history.

Such a reading “from the underside of history” sets the stage for the roots of the events we celebrate on this, the feast of Our Lady of Guadalupe. in 1531, a moment marked politically by the enslavement and eradication of native peoples and ecclesially by heavy use of the rhetoric of damnation, for Mary to appear not only TO a Native American but AS a Native American is a strong reminder that the God of Mary is a God who does simply bring justice to the oppressed from on high, from a position of power, but a God who comes to being in the midst of oppressed people, who shares in the sufferings of the vulnerable. What we celebrate in anticipation of Christmas is hardly different: as humble a beginning as one could imagine, no huge displays of power-over-others or manipulating structures of political control, just the power of compassion, closeness to marginal people, and courage to confront the injustices that grind people down.

This week the entire world has said farewell to Nelson Mandela, who is remembered around the world for his influence both in and out of political office and for his efforts at reconciliation, particularly after spending 27 years in prison for his opposition to apartheid in South Africa. Whatever the lasting results of his time in office might be, his moral authority came not from his ability to bend people to his will but his patience, his ability to speak to suffering people from a place of common experience, and his effort to reach out to his opponents to make new things happen. Maybe we can only see patterns like this in hindsight, but feast days like today, readings like today’s readings, and people like Mandela remind us of who our God is: a God who makes exoduses happen, who rises up from the midst of injustice and obscurity and remodels our fantasies of power by the strength of compassion and solidarity.

Patrick Cousins works in the Department of Campus Ministry.

Reflection for Wednesday, December 11, 2013

Wednesday of the Second Week of Advent

The readings for the day can be found here.

Come to me, all you who labor and are burdened,

and I will give you rest.

Take my yoke upon you and learn from me,

for I am meek and humble of heart;

and you will find rest for yourselves.

For my yoke is easy, and my burden light.

Today’s Gospel reading from Matthew calls to mind a short story I recently read.  It is called “A Fable with Slips of White Paper Spilling from the Pockets” by Kevin Brockmeier in his book The View from the Seventh Layer.  In this short story, a working man buys a used overcoat from a thrift store and it turns out to be God’s overcoat.  As he is walking home, he discovers a slip of paper in the pocket which says “Please help me figure out what to do about Albert”.  We come to find throughout the story that he keeps finding papers in his pockets as he passes people or interacts with co-workers and friends.  These slips of paper are the unspoken prayers of people.  This man ultimately ends up finding thousands of slips of paper in his pockets.   At one point, he has to leave a baseball game because pieces of paper begin spilling from his pockets.  He has discovered a gift and a burden and even when he tries to get rid of the coat, he is unsuccessful. 

It makes me want to imagine how God must feel about us.  Here we are, getting ready for the birth of his Son who will say to us “Come to me, all you who labor and are burdened, and I will give you rest.”  I can just imagine Father and Son taking turns with the overcoat and being illuminated at the awesomeness of our prayers - being able to give us some kind of rest if just in our knowing that they are there to listen.  And God loves us enough just to listen. 

Every year during Advent, I try to spend a little more time with God.  Rather than just uttering my prayers to God, I like to focus on having a conversation.  It is a good time of year for that.  Sometimes the conversation can be lengthy and even moves me to tears; sometimes it is simply a prayer; and sometimes it is a very heated and passionate discussion.  As we make ready for the birth of His Son, we also make ready for experiencing a relationship that makes our burden light.  Perhaps now is the time for us to have a lengthier conversation with God – not just a slip of paper with a prayer but time to discover the true meaning of what it means to be in relationship with God. 

Susanne Chawszczewski, Ph.D.

Director of Campus Ministry

Reflection for Tuesday, December 10, 2013

Tuesday of the Second Week of Advent

The readings of the day are available here.

For as long as I can remember it has been a tradition in my family to go to Christmas Eve Mass, return home for Mom’s delicious home cooked dinner, and then open presents. When I was younger, I remember Advent being a season of great expectation. However, not for the right reasons. I had thoughtfully made my Christmas list, and ever so carefully arranged those items based on priority. As Christmas approached more presents would appear under the tree, and we would be that much closer to being able to open them. The reason this time of the year was so exciting was because I knew I was getting presents. There was no doubt about it. It was exciting because I really bought into it – I knew that I would receive a present and I was hopeful enough to actually think that the item on the top of my list was wrapped up under the tree. Sadly though, Advent was not a time of hopeful waiting for the coming of Jesus – the Messiah. This was because I had no legitimate reason to believe Jesus was truly coming into my heart. He hadn’t in past Christmases – or at least I wasn’t aware of it. There was no present wrapped up at church marked, “To: Andrew From: Your Heavenly Father”. It all seemed too abstract. There was no tangible gift to assure my hopes would be fulfilled, and so I didn’t hope. I was, and still am today, afraid that if I fully buy into the hopeful expectation of Advent that I might be let down. But what if that was not the case? What if I truly invested in this Advent? What if I was vulnerable enough with my Father to surrender my fears and doubts and believe like a child again? How would that change things? Well first off, I would have to reorder my Christmas list. In the Gospel reading, Jesus presents yet another one of his cryptic parables: that of the lost sheep. He tells us that it is not our Father’s will that we be lost. He desires that we all share in His extravagant and intimate love. And what’s more, is that he is seeking us out to ensure that reality: he is becoming the Good Shepherd. In this way, we can see that Jesus is not only our Savior, He is a passionate Lover pursuing a relationship with us. So this Christmas, our Father is offering us the gift of a marvelous love. That is something truly worthy of the top spot on my Christmas list. Now, I must ask you, how can this Advent season be different? What if we really believe that our Father, the Father who never disappoints, was offering us the ultimate present and all we have to do is come to Him in the intimacy of our hearts with open hands? What if we fully expected to receive Jesus this Christmas? How deeply are we willing to be convinced of this truth? How can this Advent be different?

Hello! My name is Andrew Barenz. I am a sophomore at SLU majoring in Public Health. Outside of academics I have two major passions: Jesus and adventure. Since coming to SLU, I have discovered my newfound love of climbing and slack lining, but I also enjoy long road trips full of deep conversation and random shenanigans with friends. And while my walk with Jesus didn’t start here at SLU, this journey has had many turns and twists, taking me much deeper in that relationship.

Reflection for Monday, December 9, 2013

Solemnity of the Immaculate Conception of the Blessed Virgin Mary, Patronal Feastday of the United States of America

The readings for the day are available here.



I wonder why the Church chooses to celebrate the conception of the Virgin Mary so close to its celebration of the birthday of her Son? It cannot simply be that this date falls nine months before the traditional celebration of Our Lady’s own birthday; the very fact that this year the feast has been ‘bumped’ from December 8 to make room for the Second Sunday of Advent suggests that the date may not be what’s most important here.

Maybe it has more to do with the time of year: for us (in the northern hemisphere) these are the darkest days of our journey round the sun. The long nights and cold days suit Advent well: this time of waiting, even enduring, until Life and Light again become fully present in our world. And it can help to be reminded that sometimes even the best stories begin in the dark.

But I was afraid because I was naked.

The readings today certainly begin in the dark: with the first man and woman on earth running away from God. How often we hide away because we are afraid! How difficult it is for us now to be naked: to be open, and vulnerable, and to not attempt to conceal some parts of everything we are, with all our clumsiness and frailty.

But then comes Gabriel’s greeting:

Do not be afraid, Mary.

Four words that will be repeated by Mary’s own Son, on a Sunday morning in Spring, in a different kind of garden.

And Gabriel’s opening words, so familiar, so often repeated, that it can sometimes be difficult to hear what they actually say:

Hail, full of grace! The Lord is with you.

For me, these words provide a key for unlocking the dogma of the Immaculate Conception: that is, the conviction that the Virgin Mary was conceived and born untouched by original sin – the only human being (aside from her Son) who entered into the world without being wounded in this way.

But what is it that washes away original sin? Grace – and Mary, remember, is proclaimed to be full of grace – the grace unleashed upon this world through the life, death, and resurrection of Jesus Christ, the Only-Begotten Son of God.

We find it easy to believe this grace is available everywhere: all the ends of the earth have seen the salvation by our God. But the Immaculate Conception is surely a (mind-twisting) reminder that it is also available everywhen. It boldly asserts that the grace of the Cross can reach back in time to cleanse the Mother of the Crucified at the very instant of her own conception.

For why indeed should the Greatest Sacrifice of God Himself be limited or bound by anything as trifling as the time of this created world? And why should we imagine that God’s powerful grace can only move forwards in time? Should we not dare to believe that it can, and does, extend to the entirety of the created universe: the alpha as well as the omega; the beginning as well as the end?

And then, why should we not sing for joy with the Apostle, who reminds us that we ourselves also stand in the same place as Holy Mary? For we too are washed by that very same grace of Christ which broke the bonds of time to achieve the Immaculate Conception:

Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ,
who has blessed us in Christ
with every spiritual blessing in the heavens,
as he chose us in him, before the foundation of the world,
to be holy and without blemish before him.
In love he destined us for adoption to himself through Jesus Christ,
in accord with the favor of his will,
for the praise of the glory of his grace
that he granted us in the beloved.

Dr. Tomás O’Sullivan is Assistant Professor of Medieval Christianity in the Department of Theological Studies.

Reflection for Sunday, December 8, 2013

Second Sunday of Advent

The readings of the day can be found here.

Advent is a season of anticipating the coming of God into our lives at a time when we are struggling with the messiness of the world. In my heart, I feel myself struggling against temptations and bad habits that lead me away from living as a reflection of God’s love. I feel my tension with living my spiritual beliefs reflected in the themes of hope and fear within the readings for the week. In Matthew’s gospel, we hear John the Baptist ask us to “Repent, for the kingdom of heaven is at hand!” while he baptizes those who visit him at the river (MT 3:1-12). John challenges the sincerity of the Pharisees and Sadducees who come to be baptized. John’s question prompts reflection to ask “Am I sincere in my desires? Am I truly committed in my heart to change?” Any time we desire in our hearts to change and turn toward God, we feel a tension with the desire to return to the comfort of our routines. John’s question is one of challenge, and the second reading of the day is a reminder of the “endurance” and “encouragement” of God and the scriptures (ROM 15:4-9). I appreciate that the scripture acknowledges that although we may be prepared in our hearts to love God, by loving God we also commit to live a life of tension between loving God and being in the world. For me, Advent is a time to ask myself “Would I be at the river to be baptized?” and to be reminded that God is the encouraging presence to say “I am here to help you say yes.”

Katie Beres works in Learning and Development within Human Resources as an Organizational Effectiveness Specialist. She helps support the professional growth of the SLU community.

Reflection for Saturday, December 7, 2013

Memorial of Saint Ambrose, Bishop and Doctor of the Church

The readings for the day can be found here.

Society tends to reward us for being independent. Many of the moments I’m most proud of myself are moments in which I have managed to succeed in some task through my own perseverance and determination. In fact, we sometimes go so far as to suggest that dependence on other people is a weakness. Our professors may tell us that group projects are great, but how many of us have honestly sat around with our friends and discussed our fondness for projects in which our success depended on the work ethics of others? At this point in my life it’s been rather driven into my skull that if I want to succeed in this world, I’m going to have to grab destiny by the horns and forge my own path without relying too much on the support of those who care for me.

But you know what? Sometimes, I just want to call my dad and have him tell me that everything is going to be all right. I want my mom to take me out for ice cream and remind that no matter how badly I mess up, she will always love me. What I need is a reminder that it’s okay to depend on others who love me, because despite what society tells us, no one really ever makes it on their own. This week’s reading serves as that exact reminder.

Jesus sent his disciples out to proclaim the Kingdom of Heaven to those who were troubled and abandoned. No matter what we project on the outside, I believe we all feel a little lost on the inside. Those disciples were sent for all of us. Jesus was sent here for all of us. He is our reminder that God loves us with the entirety of His being and that all of the support in life we will ever need can be found in Him.

The next time you find yourself struggling against all odds to succeed in a world whose entire purpose is your defeat, I urge you to change your perspective a little. All of life’s challenges are not meant to be overcome by the sheer force of one’s will. If you’ve been studying for three days straight and feel like you’ll never understand the material, call your Mom and tell her that you love her and miss her. She won’t necessarily teach you the material, but she’ll certainly make you feel better and perhaps provide the rejuvenation you need. If the job search seems to be full of dead ends, go out for coffee with a good friend who can remind you that life is about far more than this temporary process. And finally, take the time to sit down and pray with God. Remember that He is always with you no matter how alone you may feel. Society may reward us for our independence, but life rewards us for sharing in love with our friends, family, and God.

Matt Satcher is a senior studying Aerospace Engineering.